Yesterday's Child Last Daughter of Krypton pt 2
by gardy77
Summary: NEW CHAPTER! This sequel to the popular "Last Daughter of Krypton" continues to follow young Kara as she assimilates into Earth society. Clark and Lois grow closer. CLois crossover. Clark attempts his first flight encouraged by Kara. Original characters.
1. Chapter 1: Yesterday's Child

Yesterday's Child - The Last Daughter Part Two Yesterday's Child - The Last Daughter Part Two

From _The Last Daughter of Krypton_:

Lois got up before Clark the next morning, though she figured that she was still buzzed, something felt different. Her attitude seemed to have improved.

She shook the cobwebs from her brain, and Lois knew that Clark was trustworthy, so she decided not to make a big deal about her unusual bed partner. _He was probably just exhausted_, she reasoned through the hangover haze.

Lois hopped into the shower and made an extra effort to brush her teeth and refresh her breath. Still, there was a great opportunity to tease him, she considered. Lois double checked her teeth, making sure that they were pearly white.

She fussed more than usual with her hair, untangling it. Now it was time to annoy Clark, Lois's eyes sparkled as she went to his room and knocked extra hard on the door. "Rise and Shine, Smallville. We have a whole new day ahead of us to get into trouble."

Lois made it a point to say that extra loudly, though her own head pounded away. While Clark was in the shower, Lois had cooked bacon and eggs, in an effort to make up for her behavior the night before.

The smell of a pot of fresh coffee wafted upstairs, luring Clark to the kitchen. Lois was already seated at the breakfast table, nursing her orange juice.

"Morning, sunshine!" Clark teased as Lois glanced at him with one eye closed. He quickly examined the bacon and eggs. _At least Lois hadn't burned anything this time_, he assessed the damage.

When Lois turned away to stir the milk in her coffee, Clark used his heat vision. He cooked the bacon thoroughly, and dried up the grease from the eggs.

"Thanks for coming out to get me, Smallville." Lois said hoarsely. "I really need to get my crap together." She added contritely. "Did I do anything stupid last night, Clark?"

He forced back the urge to snicker. "Define stupid." He let her stew for a moment. "Not really." "You did temporarily lose your keys and watch, and bad mouth Lex at the top of your lungs in front of half the bar. Actually, I found that part amusing."

Clark grinned as Lois put her tongue in her cheek. "Sorry about that." She apologized as she shook her head. "I guess I haven't been myself." Clark nodded. "Me either, and about the whole bed sharing thing…"

"Ah, don't worry about it Clarkie." Lois showed off her blazing white smile. "I'm a big girl, I wasn't worried about it. I trust you." _Though I am a bit disappointed that you didn't try anything_, she thought wistfully. "Thanks Lois, that means a lot."

There was an uncomfortable silence again. "Oh, I spoke to my mom last night on the phone." Clark gallantly changed the subject. "Oooh! Was your mom pissed that I was sleeping over?" Lois wondered.

"No, she was glad that I brought you back here. You still might get a stern lecture." Clark teased. Lois grinned. "That's okay. Maybe I need one. It could help me get my head out of my…"

The noise of the bubbling coffee pot cut any further comment from Lois off. "Why did you bring me here instead of dropping my sorry butt off at the Talon apartment?" Lois inquired.

Clark had been expecting that question. He still had a hard time answering it. Clark shrugged. "I guess that I wanted to be sure that you were safe." He began. "Besides, the Talon apartment was bringing me some bad memories." Clark added honestly.

"Yeah, I guess we both have issues." Lois stated. "Anyway, where's Kara on this lovely day?" "I don't know." Clark said with disdain. "She's been very temperamental lately." Lois nodded.

"Welcome to the world of teenage women, Smallville. I had quite a few issues with my sister Lucy over the years, and still do. We all hope that they grow out of it." _Myself included_.

As if on cue, young Kara Kent strolled in the front door, surfboard in hand. The eighteen year old blonde alien girl was wearing a bright red and orange bikini.

She also had a travel bag which was slung over her slim shoulder. Kara was also sporting bright black mirrored sunglasses. "Hey, Clark!" Kara flashed a peace sign at them. "Miss Lane!"

Clark and Lois gawked. "Kara, where have you been?" Clark started the questioning. "Dude! There were some bodacious waves down at South Beach! I was just hanging…whatever." She leaned the board against the foyer closet.

"Dude?" Lois and Clark exchanged glances. "Bodacious waves?" "Okay, first, call me Lois." She rubbed her eyes. "Second, please turn that bikini off. You're blinding me."

Lois gave Kara some grief. Clark snickered, despite being angry at his troublemaking young cousin. The criticism went right over Kara's head. "Lois, what are you doing here this early in the morning?" Kara grilled playfully.

"Clark and I just woke up." Lois reddened as she realized her _faux pas_. Clark was silent, clearly enjoying the exchange. "Oh really? Way to go cousin!" Kara teased as she zipped past them upstairs.

"Shut up, Clark!" Lois gingerly pretended to be angry. He couldn't help himself, Clark laughed outright. Lois whipped the used coffee filter at him.

Naturally he caught it and tossed it into the garbage. Kara was in and out of the shower in record time, and back in her shorts and tee shirt. "So Kara, how can you afford to jet down to South Beach, on your salary from the Talon?" Lois asked.

"It didn't cost that much..." Kara began as Clark rolled his eyes. "While I was down there, people kept buying me things." Kara stared at Lois blankly. "I bet!" Lois shook her head. "Were you wearing that bikini the whole time?" Kara nodded.

Clark groaned. "The people were so nice in Florida." Kara smiled brightly. "Uh huh." Lois's eyebrows rose. "Were these people mostly young men and boys?" She grilled Kara. "Yes. Why?" Lois took a sip of her coffee. "Deer in the headlights." She muttered. Thankfully, there was a knock at the door.

Clark got up to answer. "It's only 8 am" Lois grumbled. "Is there a cow milking emergency?" Two strangers stood in the doorway. One was a man who looked to be in his early thirties, the other was a younger woman with long reddish hair.

"Can I help you?" Clark asked suspiciously. "Perhaps. I'm looking for Kara Kent." Lois was immediately alert. _What's the kid done now_? She wondered silently. "Who's asking?" Clark was ready to fight. "I'm Marcus Worthington, and this is Zara Rolfe."

"May we come in?" Marcus asked politely. Clark quickly used his x-ray vision to check for any other uninvited guests. He saw none. "I suppose." Clark said reluctantly. "Kara, do you know these people?"

She nodded. "Yes, they're customers from the Talon." Kara nervously entered the kitchen. Marcus and Zara followed Clark towards the den. "I'm Clark Kent and this is Lois Lane." Marc and Zara exchanged glances. _Another one_? They thought in unison.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion at this early hour." Marcus opened apologetically. "Zara and I have a full day of meetings ahead of us in Metropolis." Clark was unusually impatient. "You said you needed to talk to Kara? What about?"

Lois eyed them both suspiciously. "Um...I guess I wanted to offer her a job, not to put too fine a point on it." Marcus replied as Kara filtered in closer. "A job? In a major coffee shop in Metropolis?" Lois began the interrogation.

"No, something a little more...challenging." Marcus hinted as Zara checked over the alien's home for anything out of the ordinary. "You couldn't call or e mail her?" Lois pressed, suddenly defensive of Clark's teenage cousin.

"Awkward." Zara muttered, loud enough for Marc to hear. Clark was wary, but curiosity took over. "Please, sit down." He directed them to the den. Kara followed them in and used her own enhanced vision to check the couple for anomalies.

Lois glanced at her precious watch. "I'd love to chit chat, but I have to work for a living." She announced. Lois kissed Clark on the cheek, embarassing him, and went upstairs to gather her things. "Kara is what relation to you Mr. Kent?" Zara questioned.

"Kara's my cousin from...Minnesota." Clark lied. "I'm sorry, but this is highly irregular." He added. "Kara is eighteen and capable of making her own decisions." _However odd they may be_, he thought. "But I feel that i'm responsible for her."

"Understandable." Marcus dead panned. Lois bounded back downstairs, Clark's travel bag in hand. "I'm leaving, are you sure that you'll be okay?" She asked worriedly. Clark nodded. "Call me." Lois smiled brightly. "Bye, Kara, Mr. Worthington, Miss Rolfe." She sped out of the house, car keys in hand.

"What kind of a job are we talking about?" Clark probed. Kara had been silently trying to recall the couple from the Talon's conversation. "Whatever Kara is most qualified for, Mr. Kent." Zara answered evasively. _A superpowered alien teen would be handy_ _on any archaelogy dig_, she thought selfishly.

"Let's back up, shall we?" Marcus offered. "Please do." Clark challenged. "Do you know who I am?" He began. "No, should I?" Clark asked coldly. "My name is Marcus Worthington, the CEO and Owner of the international company, WorthingtonCo."

"I'm Professor Zara Rolfe, a sort of independent archaelogical contractor. I'm currently employed by Mr. Worthington." She chimed in. "And you know Lex Luthor." Kara accused, sending shivers down Clark's spine, and warning bells went off in Clark's mind. "Yes, Lex Luthor is a business associate...actually more of a rival." Marc said.

_Now we're getting somewhere_, Clark mused. "A rival? What possible cause could a billionaire business owner have to hire a coffee house worker?" He added the jab. "We both know that Kara is more than a coffee maitron, don't we?" Marc baited.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Clark countered. Kara gulped audibly. "I'm going to get right to the point..." Marcus paused for dramatic effect. "Are you familiar with the Swann Institute for Developmental Knowledge?" He threw down the gauntlet.

_So that was it_! Clark felt his eyes burning, a prelude to anger. "Dr. Swann is dead." He stated, as Kara glanced at him in complete bewilderment. "Unfortunately true." Marc admitted. "He trusted Zara and I with his research. Virgil was afraid that certain knowledge would fall into the wrong hands."

"I suppose this knowledge fell into the right hands, namely yours." Clark snapped. "Wait! What's this about?" Kara stood between Clark and Zara facing Marcus. "Yes, Clark, it did. You have no idea what you're up against." Marc sent chills down his own spine with the knowledge that there was now likely more than one _Traveler_.

"You'd be surprised what I know." Clark said defensively. "I don't doubt it, Clark. I am not your enemy or your problem. Zara and I feel we need to help in any way we can." Clark was getting restless. "What makes you think that we need any help?"

Zara shifted uneasily, knowing that primarily, she was in the presence of two aliens from another world, and second, that in the blink of an eye, either Kara or Clark could kill them both. For the first time in her life, Zara was truly scared.

Clark noticed that Zara's heart beat faster with his superior hearing. Marcus, amazingly, was still calm, cool, and collected. "It is we who need help Clark." Marc placated. "We on Earth, need you and Kara to help." The teen alien gasped.

The phrase, 'we on Earth', told Clark a lot, none of which, he liked. "Clark, or Kal El, we know that either you or Kara are the Traveler, and no, we're not part of Veritas. Yes Clark, we know all about or most of the story surrounding Veritas, and how everyone involved has met an untimely death, usually under suspicious circumstance.

Zara and I are not your enemies." Clark was speechless. Kara gawked openly. "What proof do you have that this Traveler exists?" Clark hoped that Marcus was bluffing, he wasn't. "Dr. Swann sent me four DVD discs, delivered to me personally, by his daughter, Patricia Swann." Clark nearly swallowed his spit.

"How do we know that you didn't kill Patricia?" Clark asked, not expecting a full answer. "Who's Patricia Swann?" Kara asked warily. "Someone who died because of us." Clark replied solemnly. "Not because of you, Kal El, for you." Marc stated.

"Zara and I don't want to die, yet we feel we must do something." Marcus commented. "What are you afraid of?" Clark fished. "Anyone that can usurp Kara or you for their own ends, namely for monetary or influential gain."

"Why do you care?" Clark asked cynically, shocking Kara into silence. "Because, were we of Earth to lose you or Kara, we would be destroying our own future." Marcus answered elegantly. Clark checked his vital signs. Marcus believed in what he said.

"What if Kara and I weren't here? Earth would go on without us." Clark tested. "Maybe, for a while. Eventually we would be eliminated, either by destroying ourselves, or some beings from another world would bring about our demise."

"You know of others?" Clark challenged. "I have no proof, Kal El. It's a logical conclusion, isn't it? Jor El believed in you." Marcus name dropped. "What do you know of Jor El, he's been dead for eons?" Clark asked, as Kara neared tears.

"Jor El had left a message piggybacked on his original transmission that he'd sent to Dr. Swann. It had been encrypted in a disc that we were sent. We don't know what it says, because it's written in Kryptonian." Marcus informed them. "Here."

He handed Clark a DVD. "What makes you think that Jor El wrote this?" He asked suspiciously. "Who else would?" Zara asked as her vitals finally returned to normal.

"Zor El, Brainiac, even Lara." Kara said before she'd thought it through. _Too much information_, Clark winced. "What's it say, Kal?"

"It says that the fortress array system has been compromised." Clark read the Kryptonian verses. "You mean all the information we've received from Jor El isn't legit?" Kara wondered out loud.

Marcus and Zara stared at them blankly. "Fortress?" Zara repeated. Clark shot her a dirty look. "You may not reveal that information, under any circumstances." He threatened them. Marc gulped.

"How long has your kind been here on Earth?" Marcus asked after he regained his composure. "I thought that Kara and I were the first. Recently, we've learned otherwise." Clark admitted, purosely to spread the couple's paranoia. _We have to keep them guessing_.

Zara swallowed hard. "You mean that there could be an all out invasion?" Clark picked out the fear in her voice. It was mean, he knew, but they seemed to have very few options.

"We're not really sure." Clark continued to bait them. "It's up to us to remain ever vigilant." Kara was lost in thought. "I think we should hear them out, Kal." She put in. "You mentioned a job?"

"Now wait a minute, Kara." Clark interrupted. "We don't know anything about these people." He pictured Kara lying in a bed in a lab somewhere with kryptonite liquid running through her veins.

"Kal, you've been ragging at me to fit in, to assimilate into Earth's culture. What better way than to get a normal full time job?" She argued. Zara was amazed. _They're just like us! Squabbling like_ _siblings_! Suddenly she began to feel comfortable with them.

"That's the key, isn't it? a normal full time job." Clark pointed out. "How would you define normal?" He posed the question to Marc and Zara. Clearly, Marcus had been prepared for this.

"Thank you for listening." He began as Clark waited patiently for an answer. "We have a number of opportunities for young ladies at WorthingtonCo." Marc gave them the standard pitch.

Superman noted that he'd said 'young ladies' not young men. Marcus seemed singularly interested in Kara. "WorthingtonCo is one of the top companies to work for in the world." Marc was a polished speaker, Clark observed, though he was still suspicious.

"We build things...unusual things..." Marc teased. "WorthingtonCo is always on the cutting edge of research and development." Kal bristled at the word 'research' and decided to press the point.

"Who pays for all this research and development? What has your company built that we would know about?" Clark grilled, sounding more and more like a journalist every day.

"Our most recent project was bidding on a new International Space Station and Zero G Laboratory." Marc explained. "We partnered with WayneCo Technology. Fortunately, we were able to outbid Luthorcorp and a group of foreign investors for the contracts."

"As for who bankrolls our business...it's me." Marc stopped to let that statement hang in the air. Now Clark was becoming impressed. Worthington seemed legit, and he'd heard of WayneCo as well.

"Luthor was going to use his space station as a weapons depot!" Marc went for the kill to close the deal. Kara gasped and Clark whistled. "You can prove that?" Kal asked. Zara shook her head.

"No, the bugger was too slick, we couldn't pin a thing on him." The British archaelogist added. "It bloody took a week of baths to wash the blooming slime off me from being in the same room with Lex."

Kara laughed and Clark forced a quick smile. "That sounds like Lex." Marcus mentally crossed his fingers. _Had we gotten to them_? He wondered silently. _Would Kal let Kara go out on her own_?

"Lex was planning to be the first to mass produce weapons in space." Marcus informed them. "His private interests, as he called them, included a _Star Wars_ type missile defense system. Though the concept has been around for a while."

"This time, Lex would've held all the cards. He could've literally done anything with his project, held any country hostage, charged enormous 'protection fees' to the U S Government, simply altered the balance of power in the entire world."

"It's fortunate that WayneCo and I were able to stop him. His own board of directors turned down any further requests for funding." Marc concluded. "It's bloody likely that Lex's directors will end up 'missing' or taking an early retirement package." Zara added.

"The bottom line is that we may not be able to stop him next time." Marc continued. "I also expect that Lex will try to sabotage our joint project as it moves forward." Clark shook his head. "That's bad."

"Yes it is, Kal." Marc agreed. "How can we help?" Kara asked. Clark felt like someone had hit him in the stomach with a kryptonite bullet. "You know what this means, don't you?" He asked Kara.

"We won't be able to live simple lives here on the farm." She replied. "We would have to 'come out' so to speak. With that kind of visibility, eventually someone would catch us." Superman stated.

"Catch you?" Zara repeated. "Yes, catch us using our powers." Kara responded. Marc swallowed hard, saddled with the enormity of their problem. "Observe." Kara zipped away and back. In the blink of an eye, she'd come back to the den with a dozen eggs.

"Wow!" Zara exclaimed. "You must be handy to bloody have around the house." Clark was horrified. "We'll have to think about it." He said reluctantly. "That's all we ask. Don't take too long." Marc countered. "We never know when Lex will strike again."


	2. Chapter 2: Flight Training

**Flight Training** - Chapter 2 _You will believe a man, or a girl, can fly._

"I guess that I still have some reservations." Clark stated calmly. "How did you find out about us?" Marcus and Zara had expected that question. "Ironically, we now believe that you 'outed' yourself." Marc began. "It was roughly two weeks ago..."

_Flashback Sequence _to Kara and Clark standing atop a ridge overlooking Dead Man's Quarry, an abandoned limestone quarry that lie ten miles away from Reeves' Dam. Clark is staring blankly at his younger cousin. "It's simple, Kal. You just relax, concentrate, and think that you can fly."

"You just _think_ that you can fly?" Clark echoed skeptically. "Exactly." Kara insisted. "Watch." The teen alien smiled broadly, extending her arms out from her sides, and floated upward. She effortlessly floated back down. "Now you try." Kara's eyes sparkled in the early morning sun.

Clark felt foolish, but mimicked his cousin's movement. For a moment, Kal floated upward about two feet. "See, you're doing it!" Kara encouraged. He dropped back down clumsily. Kara sighed. "Well, it's a start." She backed up a bit. "Maybe you can try a running start?"

Kara ran forward to the cliff's edge, and leapt upward, soaring easily above the rocky hillside leading down into the quarry. Superman followed her motions, running off the gorge's peak and jumping forward, as he'd done one time to land atop a semi-tractor trailer and rescue Lois and Lucy Lane.

This he accomplished simply enough, until Kal realized that he was near the quarry's center, with hundreds of feet of empty air below him. Kara banked slowly around towards him, mirroring the soaring, curvy flight of a nearby brown eagle parent, eyeing the pair suspiciously as they neared her nest.

Clark suddenly sank like a rock, falling straight down, until he reached a speed that caused a sonic boom within the confines of the quarry walls. Kal hit the floor of the canyon with a thunderous crunch, that dug a seventeen foot hole, sending dirt, rocks, and other debris skyward.

Kara shook her head, allowing her long blonde locks to scatter in the wind. She flew in low just as Clark was climbing out of the hole. "Are you all right, Kal? You have to concentrate at first, until you get the hang of it." Superman brushed the limestone dust from his red tee shirt and blue jeans.

Clark nodded. "I guess that I just have too much on my mind." Kara floated down beside him, and crossed her arms skeptically. It's got to be a mental issue, she surmised. "I bet you're thinking about Lois, aren't you?" She teased. "No." Kal said flatly. "What's that, Chloe always said?" Kara taunted.

"Oh yeah. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt." Kara ostracized. "No." Clark said with some irritation. "Lois, Lois, Lois,.." Kara taunted as she jumped across the craggy canyon base, finally landing perpendicular to the lowest section of a wall. "Race you back to the top, running! One, Two..."

Kara dashed straight up the quarry wall. "Three! Go!" She mocked from about halfway up. Kal sped alongside his young cousin, before finally passing her near the top quarter of the gorge's bank. He stopped a fraction of a second before Kara reached him. She smirked. "Now we try it my way."

Kara ran along the edge of the canyon's lip, with Clark at her heel. After a full lap, she suddenly jumped up and flew high over the quarry. Kal followed her move, and was soon soaring behind her. She turned back and stopped. They were dead center above the quarry. "It's as easy as that!" Kara laughed.

Clark found himself hovering next to Kara. He didn't feel like falling. "You did it, Kal, you can float! That's half the battle!" Clark relaxed and smiled. "Thanks, Kara." The young alien pointed to the ridge on the other side of the quarry. "Now, go horizontal, like if you were swimming." She directed.

He complied, extending his arms from his shoulder, like an airplane's wings. Kara did the same and led him to the wall. Clark landed sloppily, knocking a few small boulders into the quarry. "You're getting it, Kal." Kara complimented. "Just keep on practicing." She urged.

The two aliens stood at the edge of the wall. Kara decided to try one more thing. She zipped away, startling Clark. "Kara? What?" Before he could finish his question, she had sped back at him, and physically shoved Clark into the steepest part of the quarry. He fell most of the way down.

Kara watched with delight, as Clark extended his arms, and about thirty feet above the canyon floor, began to level off, soaring easily across the base to the other side. Kara flew down, darting like a hawk in search of prey, as Clark went vertical, and landed comfortably beyond some rough foliage.

"See? You did that without thinking about it!" Kara stood confidently atop a boulder. "Yes, I did." Clark said playfully. "One, Two, Three..." He dashed off along the base of the canyon, Kara ran after him. The two aliens again ran straight up the quarry wall, and slowed to a stop at it's peak.

"Race you to the Reeves' river?" Clark offered. "You got it, cousin." Kara accepted the challenge. "Flying or running?" Clark rubbed his chin. "Both." Kara said. "Okay, one, two,..." She dashed off, with Clark at her heel. The super heroes ran and alternately leapt or flew over obstacles along the way.

They vaulted over fallen trees, fences, and shrubs, frequently switching to low short flights, and even strafed a semi-tractor trailer, hoping that the driver hadn't seen them. At one point, the aliens flew above a main highway, and hadn't noticed a late model black BMW car driving their way.

"Marc, did you see that?" Zara Rolfe asked her long time boyfriend. "What?" He wondered out loud. "I swear it looked like a bloody yellow and blue bird, soaring above the tree line." Marc was skeptical. "A blue and yellow bird? Like a parrot?" Zara shook her head. "No, it was much bigger."

The couple dismissed it as a great blue heron or something, and hadn't thought about it until recently. At the time, Kara and Clark were blissfully unaware of any spectators. They followed the Reeves' River until it spilled out into Red Bluff Lake.

A bit before they reached the Red Bluff beach, Clark darted off in a tangential arc, leaving Kara surprised, as she searched the horizon with her enhanced vision. Kal sped back in with blinding speed, and unceremoniously tackled young Kara, knocking her into the water. The two aliens bobbed in the lake.

She laughed hysterically, splashing Kal with mighty waves of fresh, cool, water. "Let's see how fast we can swim." She urged. The two raced for a while, until they grew bored of the frivolity. Clark climbed out of the lake, and extended a hand to help Kara as well.

Clark hadn't been this happy since he and Lana...His thoughts clouded his good mood. "What's the matter, cousin?" Kara asked worriedly. "If it's about that Lois remark...I was just trying to..."

Kal dismissed her with a wave. "No, it's not that. In fact, I think you could be right. We need to make some changes in our lives, and stop worrying about the past. Those ghosts will always be there."

"Kara, what do you think of this?" Clark began. "Chloe came up with an idea sometime last year. She suggested that I adopt another persona. You know how Oliver and his buddies all have secret identities? They could lead relatively normal lives, and still help Oliver on his missions. We should try that."

"Changing our names, or acquiring silly nicknames, doesn't change who we are." His teen cousin observed with an unusual amount of wisdom. "True." He agreed. "If we did, we'd just create more lies on top of lies." Kara nodded with a serious expression on her thin face. "Let's consider it, though."

_Back to present time_: "Clark, that was you and Kara that we saw on the road that time, wasn't it?" Marc was looking for confirmation. "Yes. It was." Kal admitted. "I must ask you two to keep this in the utmost secrecy. You are in a position to completely alter the human race's future." He added seriously.

"I understand, Kal El, yet, that is exactly what I'm trying to do." Marc affirmed. Something shimmered into the center of the room, startling everyone. In the blink of an eye, a large greenish brown silhouette formed, and held a small triangular crystal, with the house of Jor El's 'S' on it.

The object flashed brightly, stunning Marc and Zara, and momentarily paralyzing them. Kara watched in horror, ready to attack. "John? What the hell are you doing?" Clark accused. The Martian Man Hunter stood rigidly, his bright red eyes glaring. "Once again I must rescue you, Kal El."


	3. Chapter 3: Identity

Beyond Smallville: Yesterday's Child: _Identity_

"Red Eyes!" Kara hissed. "What is wrong with you? They were only offering me a job." John waved her off. "Their intentions were honorable, Kal El, yet your destiny is far greater than working for someone else. Jor El sent you here to protect Earth from primarily rogue Kryptonians, and also any invasion force from other worlds." Clark nodded. "I realize that now, but what about Kara?"

"I have no idea what Kara's destiny is or was." John admitted. "Jor El and Lara thought that they were sending Kara here to protect you. Zor El's intention was to send Kara here to help repopulate Krypton on Earth, and kill you if you interfered." Chills ran down Clark's spine.

"Yes, well now no one controls Kara's or my destiny except us." Superman stated boldly. "We will have to adapt, Kara." Clark began. "John, we're going to need some kind of cover. I've been giving that a lot of thought lately. Kara and I need to create two separate identities for ourselves."

"We can neither rule Earth as my father Zor El intended, nor ignore our destinies any longer." Kara sounded much more grown up. "It's going to be complicated." John agreed. "I have created multiple identities over time. Humans tend to have multiple personas as well. Duplicity is common."

"Kara, we can no longer hide out on the farm content to live our lives in secret." Kal stated. "As one of my good friends recently said: I lie on the couch while a world of trouble swirls outside my door." Kara smiled, slowly warming to the idea. She had never liked the fact that they renounced their heritage.

"Eventually someone would catch us using our abilities anyway." Clark added. "As Marcus and Zara have. We should still hear them out, and go visit their place of business. John, can you delete some selected memories that they acquired? The way you did for Lois?"

"Yes, but keep in mind, human psyches are complicated. I will do my best." The Martian Manhunter presses one long finger against Marcus's head, another on Zara's. They will forget why they came here and how they got here as well. You'll have to take them back to Metropolis."

The human's heads sagged as John removed his touch. "Kara and Kal El, I cannot always be there to save you. You'll both have to be far more careful in the future." John backed away slowly. "Also, I believe that your new friends can help you. Oliver, AC, Bart, Dinah, and Victor have all invented duplicitous lives. Unfortunately, it seems that humans fall into duplicity far too easily."

He flew off, leaving them to consider his last words. Kara and Clark carried the humans to the den and sat them on the couch. Kara hurriedly threw on a pot of coffee, boiling the water with her heat vision. She brought them the hot steaming mugs. Clark sat casually across from the strangers.

Kara sat on the arm of the chair beside Kal. Marc and Zara came to, yawning and stretching. "What were we talking about?" Marc began. "I'm sorry, it must've been sodding jet lag." Zara said with her clipped British accent. "You were asking Kara and I if we'd like to tour your business facility."

"Yes, of course." Marc faltered. "It so happens that I've been offered a job at the Metropolis Daily Planet newspaper." Clark explained. "It would make a great first story." Zara nodded reluctantly. Kara cast Kal a sidelong glance. "You also said that you may be interested in hiring Kara."

The alien teen smiled brightly. "Why didn't you want to hire me?" Clark pressed. "That's because Marcus almost exclusively hires women for his Arizona facility." Zara said petulantly. "Really? Why is that?" Clark wondered, sounding more like a reporter than an alien super hero.

"I've found that women tended to be more responsible and trustworthy than the men I know." Marc defended. "Surely all men can't be irresponsible and untrustworthy." Clark commented. "True, but I have my reasons." Marc said defiantly. "Fair enough." Clark said diplomatically.

"Kara and I will think about it and get back to you." He asked for their business cards. "Miss Rolfe, you mentioned something about archaeology?" Kara hinted. "Yes, I'm looking to increase my archaeology staff this quarter.

"We've so many bloody digs around the world, that I'm sodding short staffed all the time. It's not Marcus's funding that gives me ills, it's the foreign governments that are always struttin' about with their hands out. Grease a palm here, grease a palm there..."

"That might be something that I'm interested in." Kara offered. "Clark, what do you think? It would be a good way to learn about the culture, travel to foreign places, see the various people of ...ear...uh...the world." She quickly corrected herself. "Is that what you want?" Kal inquired.

"Yes, I think that I would." Kara beamed. "Miss Rolfe, what do I have to do? I don't want any special treatment. What qualifications do I need?" Marc seemed pleased with the outcome, though something was still nipping at the back of his mind. _Did I forget something_?

He glanced at his watch and realized that they'd been here...wherever...for well over an hour. "Then it's settled. You'll both come out to tour the facilities and learn about the business." Marc decided.

Zara stood up. "I've an archaeology lecture at the Metropolis Museum of Natural History this afternoon. You're both invited to check it out. Here's two backstage passes. We can talk more then."

"Sounds good." Kara said pleasantly. Clark's cell phone rang. He snapped it up. It was Lois. "I have to take this call. Excuse me." He headed to the back porch. "Yeah Lois?" Meanwhile, Marc and Zara finished their coffees, and still couldn't shake the feeling that they were missing something.

Was John's memory manipulation effective enough? Only time will tell. Lois was excited. "You should've seen it Clark, Lex was fried by the Board of Directors. They unanimously voted against his closure of the Daily Planet deal. Perry White was offered the Publisher's job...he refused it!"

Clark wandered alongside the backyard foliage petting Krypto / Shelby at random intervals. Lois was rattling on. "Perry accepted the Editor's job instead. He wants you to come in for an interview as early as tomorrow. That's assuming that you're willing to get up off your butt from the farm."

"I'll sell the remaining forty acres to our neighbors." Clark sighed. He knew that it was time to let go of the past and that included his Earth father's land. His Earth mother, Martha, had already said that he could leave the farm anytime he wanted. She moved on to Washington.

"Thanks Clark." Lois eyes began to tear up. She was glad that he couldn't see her. "Thanks? For what?" Superman wondered. "Just for putting forth the effort." Lois downplayed her emotional state. "You'll see! It'll be great! Lois and Clark, Daily Planet Reporters!" She was really amped up.

Clark chuckled. "I don't have the job yet, Lois. Hey, here's some breaking news for you. Kara may be leaving for a new job as well. This old farmhouse will be empty without us." Lois considered something that she hadn't believed was possible. _Could she and Clark start a relationship_?

"Hello? Lois?" Kal noted her unusual silence. "Sorry Smallville, I think my caffeine and sugar buzz is wearing off. Anyway, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning? Perry will want to schedule the interview with you. Bring your razor thin resume with you." She teased.

Marc and Zara were ready to go. Kara was just getting some last minute information from them. "Hi, um...that was Lois. She said that I'll probably get the job at the Planet. We'll be in touch?" Clark asked hopefully. He felt bad that Marc and Zara had to be zapped by John, but it was necessary.

_No one man or group should have that kind of power_, he mused, quoting some of the logic behind the Traveler fiasco, and Lex's attempt to control or kill him. Kara and Clark escorted the humans to their car. "Thanks for your time." Clark commented diplomatically. "Bye." Kara waved as they left.

Marc and Zara drove off in the general direction of Metropolis. "What were we tracking on the way out here?" Zara glanced at their small high tech locator device. "I'm not sure." Marc admitted. "Maybe we just left the GPS going." He said, though that seemed like a lame explanation.

"Remind me again why we were interested in those kids from Smallville." Zara said. "I mean they seemed nice, but why would we put forth such a grand bloody effort to meet them?"Marc watched the GPS, retracing their route to Metropolis. "I have no idea."

Kara and Clark headed up to the barn loft to gaze out at the sunset over the Kent Farm. "I guess things will change forever, now." Kara commented depressingly. "It's for the best, Kara." He hugged his little cousin. "We still have a lot to do. I mean Lex is still out there, and now he'll be twice as angry with me, and Lois for that matter." Kara rested against his shoulder. "The whole planet will one day be watching us, Kal." She remarked, with some wisdom beyond her years. "It's inevitable, I guess."


	4. Chapter 4: Kandorian

Last Daughter of Krypton - Yesterday's Child

(From Metropolis, 2010)

After accidentally releasing the Kandorians from their blue crystal prison, Kara and Clark were at a loss to decide what to do with them. Clark and Kara debated their kinsmen's fate, finally coming to an agreement that would let the Kandorians survive by fending for themselves.

Kara had begun to settle the Kandorians on their new plot of land. Oliver had bought them an old abandoned farm not far from the Kent spread. The soil was still good, though it would need to be plowed thoroughly and turned over to enable new growth.

Zod, Fiona, and Faora gawked at the old beaten up structure that would be their new home. "You can't be serious, daughter of Zor El." Fiona complained as Kara beamed. "We are warriors, not farmers." Zod snarled. "Then you will learn, or starve." Kara said smugly.

"You mock us, Kara?" Faora hissed. "No! Everyone on Earth has the same opportunity." The alien beauty countered. "Kal El and I have to work my step aunt's farm every day. You seem like reasonably smart people. You can use tools and learn the processes just like everyone else."

Faora was pissed! She quickly grabbed a shovel and struck Kara across the back with it. Naturally, the shovel snapped in half, and Kara barely noticed the blow. The spaded end sailed over Zod's head, and the remainder of the shovel, now a shattered rod of wood, was in Faora's hands. Kara turned on the young assassin, and grabbed her by the throat.

Kara lifted Faora easily a foot or more above the ground with one outstretched hand. "Don't do that!" She growled. "Now you've ruined your tool and you'll need a new one." Zod's eyes widened as Fiona's mouth dropped open. "Major, she has the powers!"

"That she does, Fiona." Zod agreed, placing his hand on his chin, and rubbing it. "Kara Zor El possesses the strength and abilities of the yellow sun as her father predicted long ago." Kara put the cursing Faora down and glared at Zod and Fiona. This was not going well at all, she mused.

"Yes, Kal El and I have some abilities that were to give us the advantage we needed to survive on Earth." Kara confirmed. "Will we acquire these abilities?" Zod wondered aloud. "I sincerely hope not!" Kara hissed. "You certainly haven't shown me the ability to act responsibly."

"You dare lecture Major Zod, daughter of Zor El?" Fiona argued. "No, Kara's right, Fiona. We must simply learn to go along to get along. This is not our world." Zod said, and of course he was lying. "How do you expect us to survive without any superior abilities?"

Faora questioned her, following Zod's lead. "Billions of Earth's people exist every day without any special powers at all." Kara pointed out sternly. "For now, you'll be under Kal El and I's protection. No one should bother you as you assimilate."

"You'll leave us here to rot, like a science experiment gone bad?" Fiona complained. "No, not at all." Kara smirked. "Wait here." She zipped away, startling the Kandorians. "Speed and strength are very useful powers to have." Zod commented to the women.

"Except that Kal El and Kara are the only ones that have them." Faora whined. "We have to exercise patience, Faora and Fiona. Eventually, we will have Kal El and Kara's abilities. I will make certain of it." Zod promised blindly. He had no idea how to accomplish that.

"Do you remember how we got here, Major?" Fiona inquired. "Not particularly. I remember being on the battlefield with Jor El tending to our wounds. We were injected with something."

"I blacked out. That's all that I can recall." Zod explained. "I thought that we may have been killed, but how is that possible?" Fiona questioned.

"We know that the vaunted Kryptonian Council forbid taking a life under any circumstances. My guess is that Jor El and Zor El put us into a type of suspended animation." Zod informed them. "Perhaps they used cryogenics. That could explain the bizarre blue crystal in Kara's home." Faora speculated. "If so, then there could be other Kandorians around." Fiona added.

Kara returned presently with two arms full of supplies. She dumped them out onto the dusty floor of the old ranch house. "This is some food and clothing that I scrounged up to get you started." She explained. "I had to guess at the girls' sizes. We can always tailor them later."

"Rags? Leftovers?" Fiona grumbled. "Now Fiona, Kara is just trying to help." Zod said sarcastically. "This is your link to Earth society." Kara continued as she used her super speed to set up a basic computer system for the irate Kandorians.

"Keys? Boards?" Faora examined the computer and hardware. "This is truly a prehistoric society." Fiona remarked sourly. "You geniuses built BRAINIAC." Kara said dryly. "Look how great that worked out. This is a basic library of everything you need to know on Earth."

Kara assumed that the Internet would keep them all busy and out of her hair for a while. There was so much information out there for the Kandorians to learn, that they might be busy for years just getting caught up. The risks were also great, Kara silently admitted.

Kara hurriedly set up their plumbing, electricity, and heating and air conditioning utilities. Chloe had provided her with fake documents for the Kandorians. She tried not to think about the fact that it was illegal to do so. In this case, the rules had to be bent.

"Thank you Kara." Zod said smoothly. "By the way, why weren't Jor El, Zor El, Lara, and Allura saved?" Kara swallowed hard, knowing that Zod was just trying to goad her into something. "My mother, Allura, and Zor El chose to save me, and instructed me to take care of Kal El, out of respect for Jor El and Lara, whom I loved dearly."

"By the time that I got to Earth, Kal El was grown and had been raised by my step aunt, Martha Kent and her husband Jonathan." Kara repeated the story for the first time in years. "Interesting." Zod placed his hands behind his back and paced back and forth, lost in thought.

"Do you think any other Kryptonians, Kandorians, or Argonites survived?" Faora grilled, following Zod's lead. "Not that I know of." Kara knew better than to volunteer any information that might eventually help the Kandorians in their quest for power.

"I still don't understand why you and Kal El don't simply rule Earth." Fiona was looking for another argument. "Because we have no wish to." Kara deadpanned.

"We consider ourselves guests of the Earth people, not invaders or conquerors."She added.

"That's okay, Kara." Zod grinned evilly. "We understand that not everyone was meant to rule." Faora matched Zod's dark smile. Kara ignored the barb and continued to program the Kandorian's computer. "Don't you and Kal El get bored not using your powers?" Faora asked, as she continued to badger Kara. "It has its moments." Kara replied vaguely.

"We have our friends to help keep us busy." Kara said absently. "Friends are something you'll never have unless you change your attitudes." She lectured the Kandorians. "Yes, I believe we saw some of them." Zod probed. "Kal El has chosen the Earth woman Lois Lane as his consort." Kara nodded. "Yes, Lois is his girlfriend."

"Why haven't you taken an Earth mate?" Fiona pried. "Because I'm too young." Kara didn't want to get into this with the Kandorian malcontents. "Nonsense. That's just what Kal El tells you." Zod goaded. "When the Major's mother bore him, she was about your age." Faora added, further irking Kara. "Yeah, well I still haven't seen all of Earth yet. I plan to travel." Kara countered. "There, you'll be all set." She finished programming their system.

"Or is the truth more likely to be that you find Earth males too fragile or weak to mate with?" Faora challenged. "I'm sure that I'll find the right man eventually." Kara was getting fed up with this line of conversation. The Kandorians were getting on her nerves, which was obviously their intention. "I have to go. If you have any questions, here's my cell phone number."

She left a business card that Jimmy had made for her on the table. Kara dashed away, thankfully free of the annoying Kandorians. Zod, Faora, and Fiona reluctantly began to clean up their new home, vowing to one day take over Earth and make Kara and Kal El rue the day that they arrived.

"They have some weaknesses, Major." Faora pointed out. "Yes, I know." Zod affirmed. "We will eventually exploit them." Fiona sat on the dilapidated couch. "Maybe we can somehow turn Kara against Kal El, or vice versa." She speculated. "Perhaps…" Zod agreed.


End file.
